Notice is hereby given in accordance with § 2.2-4007.01 of the Code of Virginia that the State Board of Education intends to consider promulgating 8VAC20-760, Regulations Governing the Designation of School Divisions of Innovation. The purpose of the proposed action is to adopt a regulation that will establish, pursuant to Chapter 760 of the 2017 Acts of Assembly, the School Divisions of Innovation (SDI) designation process in which a local school board shall, pursuant to a plan of innovation, be exempted from selected regulatory provisions and be permitted to adopt alternative policies for school administrators, teachers, and staff to meet the diverse needs of students. The new regulation sets the SDI designation process and timeline, expectations for a plan of innovation, procedures for ongoing evaluation of an SDI, and regulations that may be waived in conjunction with an SDI application.

The agency intends to hold a public hearing on the proposed action after publication in the Virginia Register.

Statutory Authority: §§ 22.1-16 and 22.1-212.29 of the Code of Virginia.

Public Comment Deadline: January 10, 2018.

Agency Contact: Emily V. Webb, Director for Board Relations, Department of Education, James Monroe Building, 101 North 14th Street, 25th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 225-2924, FAX (804) 225-2524, or email emily.webb@doe.virginia.gov.